What is a day on the calendar you are looking forward to? May 26 -- Ian's school year ends.

What are you listening to right now? Nothing

What was the last thing you ate? Sunday potluck at my church

Do you wish on stars? Falling stars, yes

If you were a crayon, what color would you be? Right now I feel like I'd be a purple crayon from an off brand...when you color with it, the marks wouldn't be very vibrant and they'd be streaky and unattractive. I feel moody.

What is your pet peeve? When people use apostrophes improperly (you don't need to use an apostrophe when pluralizing, people!)

Last person you spoke to on the phone? Husband.

Favorite soft drink? Coke, but I haven't had one in a looong time.

Favorite restaurant? In the world: Giuseppe's in Colorado Springs because we all go there together; it's tradition. For everyday? Hah! Steak n' Shake, Wendy's, and Panera (though Panera is pretty expensive and I can never find a coupon).Hair Color? Dark blond.

Favorite day of the year? The first day of summer vacation when you get to sleep in, the bedroom windows are open, there's a nice breeze blowing in, and you can hear the ch-ch-ch of sprinklers off in the distance. It's even more delightful now that I'm married: I get to roll to my right and bump into my most favorite person in the world.

Thursday, March 27, 2008

As always: that I'm savedFor cold medicine and that it really makes me feel betterFor telephones. I can call you if I'm lonely!For voicemail. You can leave me a message if I'm not instantly availableFor my husband. You know what he did this morning? He made my coffee, poured me an extra glass of OJ for my medicine, packed a lunch in case I wanted to each lunch away from home, and looked after me. Everybody, now: "Aaaawwwww!"For the freedom to write a short list because I'm not so sharp right now.

Using apostrophes to pluralize (see the footnote for an example of improper apostrophe usage). (Apostrophes are not like confetti, as in "the more the better;" there are actual rules about when to use them.)

Now, I'm a Grammar Legalist. I freely admit it. Grammatical precision comes easily to me, and I notice details nobody else seems to notice! (It's a gift and a curse, I tell you! *Sob*) I'm not condemning anybody with this list, ok? It's just a list.

...aaaand I know I don't have a leg to stand on, seeing as how I confuse the words "left" and "right." (Yes, I do. I confuse them. I have to point with my hand when giving directions; my husband has to point when giving me directions.) (And don't try to teach me how to remember left and right. I've tried all the mnemonics. Pointing is the solution...and drawing arrows in my turn-by-turn directions.) (Ironically, I confuse the words but not the ideas. I have an excellent sense of direction. Inherited it from my dad.)

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Here's an interesting Southernism: "ink pen." This rule seems to label this as a misuse, but don't forget the Southern accent: when Southerners say "pen" it sounds a LOT like "pin."

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Jesus freely took on the curse of being hung on a tree, freely gave himself over to death (the just punishment for sinful living) even though he did not commit any sins ever, but was not conquered by death! He rose again...death was undone. What a miracle. What a delight! What a surprise! It's amazing every time I stop and think about it.

We don't celebrate Easter at my church with a big annual hoo-ha with Easter lilies and special music and altar calls and stuff. Because...you know what...every Sunday is special! We celebrate the resurrection every Sunday. (Did you know that's why Sunday is the day we 'do church' and not Saturdays?) Every Sunday we get to take time, set it aside, think about the reality of our situation*, and praise God for his death and resurrection!

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*The reality of our situation: (1) we are sinners and justly deserve condemnation for our rebelliousness against God but (2) God is merciful and has redeemed us; Jesus gave himself for our sins on the cross as the perfect sacrifice.

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

In my quest to become a better homemaker (and believe me, I have nowhere to go but up), I'm trying to compose a list of Chores I Must Do Everyday, and Chores I Ought to do Everyday but Thankfully the House Won't Implode if I Don't:

::Chores I Must Do Everyday Before I Go to Bed::

Wash Dishes

Wipe Down Kitchen Sinks

Wipe Down All Countertops and Stovetop

Put Clutter in Living Room Away

Straighten Couch Cushions

Put Clutter on Dining Table Away

::Chores I Must Do Every Morning::

Make Bed

Get Breakfast

::Chores I Ought to do Everyday but Thankfully the House Won't Implode if I Don't::

Saturday, March 15, 2008

I'm getting better at this housewife/homemaker thing. I'm getting more purposeful about chores and planning ahead and getting ready for busy times.

My favorite seasons are spring and fall. Right now, it's spring.

I like the occasional foggy day. Something about the trees being hidden and coming slowly into view as you walk up to them is bewitching. Also, sounds are muted which adds to the bewitching nature of a foggy day.

With all the fuss about the Harry Potter books, I'm amazed that there isn't an actual real fuss about the His Dark Materials books. Talk about anti-religion, anti-Christianity, and anti-God! That's true heresy, there, people. Calm down about Harry and get going about something to really get upset about!

I don't like listening to pop radio stations in the car anymore. For me, it's either news and NPR or Christian Lite (the stations that play praise music during drive time and sermons etc. during the day).

I'm good at sewing, embroidery, and crocheting. And cooking. I got the gene from my grandmothers.

Bad grammar really annoys me. Cognitively, I get that it's not personal, but the constant barrage of bad grammar, spelling, and punctuation reallllllllly ticks me off! I used to be known as the Grammar Queen in college, and I once had a blog called Grammar Police Officer.

Since Dad is an immigrant from Latvia (they came over when he was four), I grew up coloring eggs the "American way" and the "Latvian way." Latvian eggs involve onion skins, and grocery stores just let me stand there and dig through the onion bins and fill a bag with the onion skins.

From:1. From eternal judgement in hell. 2. From a life lived in the dungeon of self-service. 3. From a life wasted on the emptiness of folly.

For:1. For eternal paradise: being in God's presence, united with all believers, to worship God forever. 2. For a life lived in the freedom of God's commands.** 3. For a life spent on the fullness of Godly pursuits.

Salvation! Unless I focus my heart on this fact, I'll grow prideful (like I did something special/was something special to earn salvation) or depressed (like I'm not being good enough to maintain). The plain and simple truth is this: that I am saved because God loves me, and that can't change!

---These facts are based on these references:

*And because of him [God] you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord." --1 Corinthians 1:30-31 ESV

**The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance. --Psalm 16:6 ESV

When I was in college, my English professors commisserated with me about the challenge of writing a first paragraph, a first sentence, or a first page. It's hard! Now I am writing a first post and I think it's going to flop, but there has to be a first, right? (The college professors advised me to start writing in the middle, as in Write the middle of the plot, Write the middle of the essay, Write the second point of your thesis paper first, and then write the introduction last. That was great for academic writing, but for a blog? Hah!)

About Me

I am a thirty-something daughter, sister, wife, Covenant College graduate, and friend...and now a mom(!). I like Calvinism, chocolate, carbohydrates, and moonlit walks on the beach. I am bilingual (es runaju Latviski). I'm an ENFP married to an ISXJ. Oh, and I am a transplanted Coloradan living in the South.